District 11 Voters Approve $775 Million Bond
Colorado Springs voters passed the district's first bond since 2004 by a narrow margin, funding school upgrades across the district.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Secondary Education
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Would you support a $775 million school bond if it raised your property taxes?
Colorado Springs District 11 voters approved a $775 million bond measure for structural upgrades at every district-owned school building. Unofficial results showed 51.31% in favor and 48.69% against, as nearly 100,000 residents cast ballots.
Why it matters
The vote ends a 22-year gap since the district's last successful bond and reflects a narrow community split over school funding. Ballot Issue 4A language also redirects dollars freed from existing debt payments toward raising teacher salaries.
The bond passed with 51.31% of the roughly 100,000 votes cast, compared with a 2021 measure that failed by only 11 votes. Funding for individual projects ranges from $1 million to $150 million, while the final tranche priorities remain to be determined by school needs.
The players
Colorado Springs School District 11
A public school district serving Colorado Springs that operates the schools receiving upgrades under the bond.
El Paso County Clerk
The county office that reported the unofficial vote totals for the bond measure.
The details
The bond will be distributed in three tranches, with the first starting projects at every school, and later tranches prioritized by individual school needs. Major projects include a $150 million renovation completing Palmer High School, an $80 million Holmes Middle School rebuild, and $24.18 million in renovations for Thomas MacLaren School, a K-12 charter school.
Timeline
2004: District 11's last successful bond measure before this vote.
2009: Irving Middle School closed during consolidation efforts.
2016: District presented an additional bond measure to voters.
2021: District bond measure failed by only 11 votes.
Nov. 3, 2026: Voters considered the $775 million bond.
Season Trajectory
The bond follows the district's 2021 measure, which failed by only 11 votes, and this passage ends a 22-year stretch without a successful district bond since 2004. It marks a shift from the near-miss defeat five years earlier to a funded plan for the district's aging buildings.
Families in District 11 can expect upgrades to school buildings across the district, starting with projects at every school in the first funding tranche. Homeowners should expect an average annual tax increase of about $264 to repay the bond.
The takeaway
Community members interested in shaping how the bond money is spent can volunteer for the incoming planning and oversight committee once the vote is confirmed. Staying informed about each funding tranche will show how the upgrades reach individual schools.
What happens next
Once the vote is confirmed, an incoming planning and oversight committee will need volunteers to guide how the bond funds are spent.
Further reading
Explore more secondary education coverage for context on school funding decisions in Colorado Springs.
Live Poll
Would you support a $775 million school bond if it raised your property taxes?
